Steam-heating system.



E. J. MOARDLE. STEAM HEATING SYSTEM. APPLIGATION IILED JAN. 24, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANCIGRAPH c0. WASHINGTON. D. c.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

EDWARD J. MoARDL-E, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEAM-HEATING SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. MGARDLE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Heating Systems; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in steam heating systems and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In one of the more familiar steam heating systems, as at present constructed, the radiator is connected at one end with a pipe leading from the boiler and acting to convey the supply of steam to the radiator, and also as a return pipe for conveying the water of condensation from the radiator back to the boiler. To the other end of the radiator is connected a thermostatic valve which when the radiator is cold, permits air in the radiator to escape under the pressure of the steam entering the radiator, the discharge through the valve continuing until the steam reaches and heats the valve,which is then automatically closed, thus preventing the escape of steam. By this time all the air in the radiator has been driven out by the steam. When the steam is shut oif, however, and the radiator cools, the valve, cooling with the radiator, again opens and as the condensation of the steam in the radiator has produced a partial vacuum therein, the outside air enters the radiator through the valve opening, and when the steam is next turned on there is the same work required of the steam to drive out the air as in the first instance, so that with the exceedingly small opening, customarily used in these automatic valves, a considerable head of steam is required in order to initially heat the radiator after it has become cold.

One object of my improvement is to provide a construction which will permit the ready dischargeof the air from the radiator in the first instance, without the necessity of large pressure in the boiler and which, after the air has once been discharged, will practically prevent any air again entering the radiator so that the system may be op- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 24, 1911.

Patented Apr. 141, 1914:.

Serial No. 604,431.

erated with a comparatively low head of steam.

My improved system possesses other novel and advantageous features of construction front elevation showing part of a steam heating system provided with my improvement. F1g.2 1s a vertical sectlon on an enlarged scale through the means for discharging the I air from the radiators. Figs. 3, 4: and 5 are detail sectional views which will be referred to more particularly later.

Referring now to that embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, A indicates one of the radiators of a steam heating system comprising a boiler (not shown) and a set of steam supply and return pipes 64, one connected with each radia tor. At each radiator is provided the usual hand valve a for turning on or off the steam supply to the radiator.

D indicates a thermostatic valve of familiar construction of the type referred to above, and adapted to discharge airfreely from the radiator until closed by becoming heated by the steam. The valve opening, however, instead of being exceedingly small, as heretofore, may be comparatively large, say th of an inch, since, as will presently appear, it makes no difference if a small amount of steam is discharged before the valve is closed. E is a pipe of small diameter into which the valve D discharges. Each radiator is provided with a similar valve and pipe, and all of the pipes are connected with a larger main pipe E which leads to the basement or cellar in which the boiler is located. Said pipe E is connected with an upright pipe F which connects at its lower end with a closed tank F adapted to receive the water of condensation. The upper end of the pipe F is prolonged above the point of its connection with the main E and its upper end is connected by a pipe f with a second upright pipe G, the lower end of which depends into the open mouth of a jaw or other open receptacle G containing water.

G indicates a float, preferably in the stand may be swung to one side or the other in order to remove the jar in a downward direction when it is necessary to get at the ball float and the lower end of the pipe G for purposes of cleaning.

The ball is provided with means to insure its properly seating against the end of the pipe Gr. As shown herein, said means comprises a vertical rod or wire 9 which has guiding engagement within a diametric aperture 9} in the ball. Said wire 9 is suspended from the pipe by a frame comprising parallel upright rods 9 connected at the bottom by a cross bar 9 and secured at their upper ends to a nut g threaded upon the pipe G. The upright wire 9 is rigidly connected to the cross bar 9 l The operation of the apparatus thus far described is as follows: Suppose the radiator A cold and full of air as it would be in the first instance. Steam is turned into the radiator by means of the hand valve a and the automatic valve D being cold and open, the air is driven into the pipe E by the pressure of the incoming steam until all of it has been discharged from the radiator and the radiator has been filled with steam whereupon the valve D becoming heated by the steam is automatically closed. The air and such steam as escapes through the valve D pass through the pipe E and the pipe E to the upright pipe F. Here the water of condensation from the steam flows down through the pipe F into the tank F while the air passes upward in the pipe F through the connecting pipe f to the upright pipe G. Passing down through the latter, the air escapes at the end thereof, pushing the ball Gr downward into the water in the jar G to permit its escape. The ball G is made of material having a specific gravity but slightly less than that of the water so that a comparatively light pressure on the ball by the down-rushing air will dislodge it. In this way the air discharged into the pipe E from the radiators escapes from the system. After the air ceases to flow the ball is again held firmly seated against the end of the pipe G by the water in the jar so as to prevent air from entering the pipe G and the main E and from there back into the radiators. Thus it is impossible for air to enter the radiators from the outside after it has been discharged. When the supply of steam to the radiator is cut off and after the steam in the radiator has condensed (the valve D being then cold and open) a partial vacuum exists in the radiator and in the pipes E and G, so that the ball G is held securely against its seat, not only by the water but also by the pressure of the outside air. When Steam is again turned into the radiator, instead of having to force air out, it is drawn into the radiator by the partial vacuum existing therein so that a system containing these features requires but a small head of steam to run it.

In Fig. 5 I have shown another way of guiding the ball G to its seat against the lower end of the pipe G. In this case I connect one end of a flexible member 9 to the ball, said flexible member'being preferably a piece of string. The other end of the flexible member is connected to a cross-bar supported at the lower ends of upright wires or rods 9 which are connected to a nut g threaded on the pipe G. The flexible member 9 is just long enough to permit the ball to seat against the pipe.

In order to relieve the upward pressure of the water in the jar G on the ball G at the time the steam is forcing the air out of the radiators, I provide the following: M and M indicate diaphragm chambers of familiar construction (said chambers being shown in section in Fig. 4), which are rigidly supported in any convenient manner in a position near the jar G Said chambers are provided with diaphragms m, m made I of flexible elastic material, such as rubber.

N indicates a pipe which has one end depending into the liquid in the jar G and its other end connected to the wall m of the diaphragm chamber M. N indicates a pipe leading from the boiler (not shown) and containing steam at boiler pressure. Said pipe is connected to the wall wa of the diaphragm chamber M P, P indicate rods connected respectively with the diaphragms Said rods are connected by a lever B which I i is fulcrumed at the end of a hanger R rigidly supported by the pipe f.

The operation of the diaphragms is as follows: As soon as the steam pressure in the boiler rises said pressure forces the air out of the radiator and into the pipes E and E and finally forces said air to escape through the lower end of the pipe G. At the same time, however, this increased steam pressure forces the diaphragm m to the left, which, through the rod P lever B, and the rod P, causes the diaphragm m to move to the right. This causes water to be drawn up into the pipe N thus lowering the level of the liquid in the jar. G and withdrawing the ball temporarily from its seat so that the air can freely escape.

Another feature of my improved system relates to means located in the pipe connection between the tank F namely, the receptacle for the condensation water, and the boiler to which said water is finally returned whereby a reverse flow of the water from the boiler to said condensation water boiler, is prevented.

K indicates the return pipe.

K is an upright closed drum into the lower end of which one end is of the pipe K projects. A pipe K leading directly from the tank F depends into the upper end of the drum K K is a ball adapted to seat against the lower end of the pipe K or the upper end k of the pipe K. 1

When the level of the water, rising in the boiler, passes above the end of the pipe K, it rises in the drum K until the ball K seats against the lower end of the pipe K but no farther, since the ball closes said pipe. When the water falls the ball falls with the level of the water and finally rests on the upper end of the pipe 70 which is provided with notches 70 so that when the ball, by reason of the fall of the water level in said drum K finally seats on the end is of the pipe K, water from the tank F can flow freely under the ball through the notches 70 into the pipe K and thence to the boiler. In order to guide the ball to its seat I provide vertical ribs 70 which project inwardly from the vertical walls of the drum K and engage the surface of the ball loosely.

It will be noted that I have illustrated herein three diflerent ways of guiding the balls used in my system to their respective seats, but it will be apparent that other ways may be adopted.

I claim as my invention 1. In a steam heating system, in combination with a radiator, an air pipe leading from said radiator, an automatic valve adapted to control the flow from said radiator to said air pipe and to close against the passage of steam therethrough, a receptacle for collecting the condensed steam passing through said air pipe, a vessel containing liquid into which said air pipe depends, said vessel being open at its top above the level of the liquid, the level of said liquid being at or near the open end of said air pipe, a float of slightly less specific gravity than said liquid, normally closing the open end of said air pipe and means for guiding said float to insure its closing against said air pipe.

2. In a steam heating system, in combination with the radiator, means for supplying steam to said radiator, and an automatic valve adapted to discharge the air from said radiator under the pressure of the incoming steam, a fluid conduit into which said automatic valve discharges, a closed tank connected with said fluid conduit adapted for the reception of the water of condensation flowing through said conduit, an air pipe connected to said fluid conduit at a point above the level of its connection with said closed tank, an open jar containing liquid, said air pipe depending into said jar, a float normally closing the open end of said air pipe, a diaphragm chamber and a diaphragm forming one wall thereof, a water pipe connected thereto at one end and at its other end depending into the liquid in said jar, a second diaphragm chamber and a second diaphragm forming one wall thereof being connected with the means for supplying steam, and means connecting said two diaphragms by which the water in said jar is drawn up into said water pipe upon a rise of steam pressure in said second diaphragm chamber.

3. In combination with a radiator, an air pipe leading from said radiator, a receptacle containing liquid into which said air pipe depends, a float valve within the receptacle arranged to seat on the end of the air pipe and adapted to move to open and closed positions with the fall and rise of the liquid in the receptacle, and means for controlling the level of the liquid in said receptacle embracing a diaphragm chamber having a diaphragm forming one wall there of, a pipe opening into said diaphragm chamber at one end and at its other end depending into the liquid in said receptacle, a steam supply pipe, a second diaphragm chamber having a diaphragm forming one wall thereof, said second diaphragm chamber being connected with said steam supply pipe, and means connecting said diaphragms whereby the level of the liquid in said first pipe varies with the steam pressure in said steam pipe.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 19th day of January A. D. 1911.

EDWARD J. McARDLE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE R. WILKINS, T. H. ALFREDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

